Emotions Related To Technology

What is it we feel when an emotion is elicited? Obviously, everyone seems to have emotions, and many emotions are common among people. How do we all know what another person is uniquely experiencing? How certain can we be? Or do we take it for granted far too often?

While thinking about women (which isn't that surprising), I wondered: at what point did women as a species start to experience love? I thought about men too, but felt more curious about women. Has love always been in some way limited to one's options? I suspect that, not that long ago, women would usually marry any man who could pass the litmus test of supplying basic needs: food, shelter, and establishing a family. Even worse would be arranged marriages. It became agreeable to most to marry whomever best satisfied their most basic needs. With technology, we are now able to choose from a much larger pool, to find someone who not only satisfies basic needs, but offers specific idiosyncrasies. Then we can experience a much deeper and greater sense of love. Are technological advances allowing us to experience a greater sense of ourselves and our capabilities? Is this a completely new, unique experience, or does it serve the same purpose, only associated with a different emotion?

It seems that freedom allows for a greater sense of emotion. Imagine groups of people who endured slavery: the Israelites of Biblical times, or more recently the Africans here in America. It's difficult to empathize with the lack of emotional freedom associated with slavery, or any type of repression. I can only relate to this type of mindset when compared to the limitations and controls I put on my own emotions. Throughout history the church, government, society, and other established organizations have attempted to repress particular emotions within the population. It seems that it has been done mostly for control purposes, particularly men of women. In those times, if/when we did experience a banned or controlled emotion, we would feel guilt and subsequently seek forgiveness.

Can we speculate what type of emotions we have the opportunity to experience in the future? How will future humans reflect upon us and how we experience life emotionally? Perhaps present day society manages their emotions like rebellious teenagers: demanding immediate gratification without a care for tomorrow.